Topology conserved 3D reconstruction and shape processing for reuse of the geometric models

This paper proposes a practical, topologically robust and noise resistive shape modeling procedure that approximates a real 3D object with the matrix-form organized meshing for the 3D shape processing, focusing on the reuse of geometric models. A geometric model with desired meshing, not limited to triangular one, but also quadrilateral, hexagonal or n-gonal mesh, is directly reconstructed based on a solid modeling approach. The radial distance of each scanning point from the axis of the cylindrical coordinates is measured using a laser triangulation sensor. The angular and vertical positions of the laser beam are two other coordinate values of the scanning. A face array listing (topology), which defines the vertex (sampling point) connectivity and the shape of the mesh, is assigned and conserved to meet the desired meshing. Stable meshing, and hence, an accurate approximation, free from the misconnection unavoidable in the widely used ICP (iterative closest point)-based modeling, is then accomplished. This proposal, sensory-modeling and information fusion, allows a versatile shape approximation, suitable for reuse of the geometric models.